Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of May 22, 2017 on DAYS

Tripp plotted against Kayla. Ciara left Salem for Hong Kong. Nicole realized that Xander worked for Deimos. With Eric's help, Nicole knocked out Xander and held Deimos until police arrived. Hope escorted Deimos to Salem. Victor handed control of Titan to Sonny. The Titan jet crashed on an island. Brady's health declined, and Nicole rushed home to see him.

Nicole learns disturbing new information

Monday, May 22, 2017

by Mike

After Theo confessed everything to Ciara and Claire, Wyatt reluctantly confirmed that it was all true. "[Ciara], I wanted to get to know you [on my own] from the beginning -- I swear I did -- but Theo had me use this cheat sheet --" Wyatt started to add. Theo interrupted, insisting that was a lie, but Wyatt maintained that he was perfectly capable of "scoring girls" on campus without help from Theo or anyone else.

"You're the one that I want," Wyatt assured Ciara. Unconvinced, she wondered if any of the things he had told her had actually been true. He reluctantly admitted that they didn't really have as much in common as he had claimed. He insisted, however, that it didn't matter if they liked the same music or pizza toppings; it only mattered that they liked each other and had undeniable chemistry.

Scoffing, Theo contended that Wyatt only liked Ciara because she had money and did things for him. Wyatt firmly denied the accusation. Fed up, Ciara quickly put a stop to the argument then stormed out of the apartment after telling Wyatt that she never wanted to see him again. Claire started to chase after Ciara, but Theo insisted on bearing that responsibility himself. Before leaving, Theo gave Wyatt a quick shove.

Theo caught up with Ciara in a secluded section of Horton Town Square and tried to apologize for his actions, stressing that he had never meant to hurt her. "But you did," she countered, adding that what he had done had been stupid, thoughtless, and insensitive. Conceding that she was right, he explained that he had simply been trying to help her find happiness with someone.

Ciara insisted that was insulting, but Theo didn't understand why she felt that way. She elaborated that it seemed like he didn't think she would ever manage to attract a guy on her own, so he had decided to put her in a fake relationship because he had assumed that would be better than never having any relationship at all. He tried to assure her that wasn't the case, but she wasn't certain she could believe him anymore.

Theo admitted that he had thought about telling Ciara the truth earlier but had decided not to because she had been really into Wyatt. Theo continued that in the beginning, he had been hopeful that things could work out between Ciara and Wyatt despite the lies; however, he had eventually reached the conclusion that Wyatt was a user, and he had realized at that point that the truth couldn't be kept hidden any longer.

Sighing, Ciara sadly muttered that she should have listened to the age-old saying about things that seemed too good to be true. "I thought I had finally met someone that I could see myself with. Everything about him was perfect. I was falling in love with him...but really, I was just falling in love with you, [Theo]. I guess that's been my problem all along," she continued, fighting back tears.

Confused, Theo wondered what Ciara was talking about. "Come on, Theo! You know how I feel about you," she replied, reminding him that she had admitted everything in the letter she had left in his backpack a few weeks earlier. He insisted that no such letter had ever made its way into his hands. She found that hard to believe, given the way he had been acting lately, but he explained that he had only been acting weird around her because he was embarrassed about what she had recently caught him doing in the living room of their apartment.

Ciara assured Theo that although that had been hard on her at first, she had since accepted that he was with Claire -- and writing the letter had been an important part of that process because it had allowed her to get her feelings out in the open and move on. "Then I met Wyatt. And I thought everything was great... Theo, I trusted him -- just like I trusted Chase," she tearfully admitted, adding that she suddenly felt like she was right back where she had been immediately after the rape, when she had felt like she couldn't trust anyone. "[But] it's worse now because you were the one that did it [this time]," she sadly concluded.

"You were my best friend, Theo," Ciara sobbed. "Were?" Theo worriedly repeated. He reached for her hand as he began to reiterate that he had never meant to hurt her, but she recoiled and insisted that there was nothing he could say to make things better. "You talk about how well you know me, but...turns out you don't know me at all," she concluded before walking away, ignoring his attempt to stop her.

Claire tried to kick Wyatt out of the apartment, but he insisted that he wanted to wait for Ciara to return. Claire reminded Wyatt that Ciara didn't want to see him again. Still refusing to budge, Wyatt argued that what he had done hadn't been a big deal; in fact, if anything, it was proof that he liked Ciara enough to fake being interested in the same things she was interested in. Claire countered that Wyatt's actions had been self-serving.

Wyatt guessed that Theo had told Ciara the truth out of jealousy. Claire dismissively insisted that Theo was in love with her. Scoffing, Wyatt informed Claire that even if Theo was having sex with her, that didn't necessarily mean that he was in love with her. Offended, Claire called Wyatt a disgusting creep. Wyatt backpedaled, conceding that Claire and Theo's sex life was none of his business.

"I was just trying to make a point," Wyatt continued, noting that perception and reality were two entirely different things. Wyatt added that Theo certainly talked about Ciara like she was his girlfriend. Claire angrily countered that Wyatt wasn't worth listening to because he was a lying, misogynistic jerk. "Sounds like someone's in denial," Wyatt mused with a smirk.

Claire shoved Wyatt and ordered him to leave, warning that she would rip his heart out if he ever tried to hurt Ciara again. Before exiting the apartment, Wyatt made it clear that he wasn't ready to say goodbye to Ciara yet. Later, Theo returned and sadly admitted to Claire that his conversation with Ciara hadn't gone very well. "What if she never forgives me?" he fretted before retreating to his bedroom and slamming the door shut.

Meanwhile, Ciara contacted Shawn, who quickly sensed that something was wrong. "I'm fine, but, uh...I have a favor to ask," she explained.

Deimos was furious to learn that the man he had hired to steal the amulet had failed to realize that Chad had handed over an empty box. The man defensively explained that he had shaken the box and had heard something rattling inside it. Deimos checked the box again and found a flash drive hidden under the lining. "Well, at least it wasn't a total loss," Deimos muttered, breathing a sigh of relief.

When the man tried to find out more about the hidden item, Deimos vaguely explained that it contained valuable information. The man offered to make another attempt to retrieve the amulet, but with the element of surprise gone, Deimos told him to forget about it and focus instead of the primary agenda. Knowing what Deimos was talking about, the man reported that all the demands on Xander's list had been secured.

After snapping at J.J. and Lani, Eli stormed off the jet, explaining that he was going to get some air. Lani blamed herself for Eli's foul mood, guessing that he had listened to her advice about revealing his true feelings to Gabi and had gotten burned in the process. J.J. assured Lani that she was probably overanalyzing the situation, adding that, in any case, they had a job to do that didn't leave any time to worry about Eli's love life.

J.J. soon received a phone call from Paul, who was keeping an eye on Deimos' hotel room and had managed to snap some pictures of the man who had paid Deimos a visit earlier. When Eli returned, he ran the pictures through the FBI's database and got a match. J.J. called Sonny, who was with Paul, and reported that the man, Guy Mantzoukas, had a rap sheet that included burglary, larceny, assault, and murder. Meanwhile, Paul noticed that Guy was on the move. Sonny thanked J.J. for the information and started to end the call. J.J. protested that Sonny and Paul needed to wait for backup, but Sonny ignored the order.

When Guy passed through the area a short time later, Sonny stopped him and asked for directions to a nearby bar. While Sonny had Guy distracted, Paul emerged from a hiding place, grabbed Guy from behind, and cuffed him. "We know you're working for Deimos Kiriakis. Tell us what he's up to, or you're a dead man!" Sonny shouted at Guy, who didn't respond. "We can do this the easy way or the fun way -- your choice," Sonny continued, but Guy remained silent. "Talk, you son of a bitch!" Sonny snapped, raising his fist.

J.J. arrived and stopped Sonny before he could begin pummeling Guy. Paul eyed Sonny with concern as J.J. dragged Guy away. Oblivious, Sonny excitedly told Paul that they were finally making progress, adding, "If J.J. gets that guy to talk, then adios, Deimos!" After getting Paul to tell him how to say the farewell message in Greek, Sonny continued, "Everything will finally fall in my lap, and I will take over Titan." Paul quietly muttered that he knew how much Sonny wanted that to happen. Sonny confirmed that he wanted it more than anything else. "Well...except for you," Sonny quickly clarified.

Meanwhile, back at the jet, Eli reluctantly informed a curious Lani that he was in a foul mood because he had ended things with Gabi earlier. Lani tried to probe for more details, but Eli didn't feel like talking about the matter. J.J. soon arrived with Guy, who kept his mouth shut through the initial round of questioning but seemed to get a bit nervous when J.J. warned that cooperating was the only way to avoid a lengthy prison sentence.

Trapped with Eric in a room at the villa, Nicole started lashing out at him again. He waited until she was finished then calmly asked about Brady. She admitted that she wasn't sure how Brady was doing because her call to Salem University Hospital had been cut short; she added, however, that he had sounded pretty bad during their brief conversation.

Having told the pilot to take Holly back to Salem if no one else ever made it back to his jet, Nicole feared that they were probably gone at that point -- and that she had therefore lost Holly for good. Eric insisted that there was still hope, adding that in the days before he had begun his search for Nicole, he had seen signs that Chloe might be having a change of heart. Nicole dismissively guessed that Chloe had simply been playing Eric.

Nicole demanded to know how Eric had managed to get out of prison early. He explained that he had wanted to serve his full sentence but had been unexpectedly pardoned after helping someone. "Saint Eric, always wanting to do the right thing...except for those brief lapses when you commit mortal sins -- you know, like murder," she bitterly mused.

Nicole was shocked to learn that Eric had moved back to Salem and was working at the Horton Center as a counselor. She insisted that he didn't have the right to counsel anyone. "Sorry you feel that way," he replied, adding that even though he wasn't a professional therapist like his mother, he was still capable of helping people. "I hope you're not referring to me, because I don't need your help," she spat.

Having found her fighting spirit again, Nicole vowed that she was going to find a way to reunite with Brady and Holly and continue her happy life with them -- a life she planned to lead far away from Eric so she would never have to see his face again. Eric said he understood why Nicole couldn't forgive him; he added, however, that they're weren't going to get anywhere if they just kept arguing with each other.

Realizing that Eric was right, Nicole grudgingly agreed to work with him so they could plan an escape. They soon began a much louder argument, hoping to get Xander's attention. When Xander rushed into the room and tried to separate Eric and Nicole before they could kill each other, Eric grabbed Xander and began pummeling him. Nicole started to bolt out of the room but stopped when a guard appeared and pointed a gun at her.

As Xander was recovering -- and giving Eric a few punches as payback -- Nicole noticed that Xander's cell phone had fallen to the floor during the struggle. She picked up the device and managed to read a text message before the guard snatched it away from her. Xander followed the guard out of the room. Alone again with Eric, Nicole shared the message: "Finished putting the deal together. I'll pick up Nicole tonight."

Realizing that Xander was working with someone, Nicole quickly concluded that it had to be Deimos -- although that didn't make sense to her because Deimos and Xander supposedly hated each other. Eric informed Nicole that Deimos had gone to Canada in search of her and had claimed that Xander had gotten to her first. "Sonny thought the whole timeline was a little too convenient. Maybe this was Deimos' plan all along," Eric continued. Nicole was worried at first, believing that Deimos planned to hurt her, but Eric guessed that Deimos was actually planning to stage a rescue in the hope of winning back her love. Nicole realized that Eric was right.

"As much as I despise you, Deimos is much worse. Oh, God, Eric, what am I gonna do?" Nicole fretted.

Deimos goes after Nicole

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

by Spalding

At Salem Hospital, John sat at Brady's bedside. A tired Brady worried aloud about whether Nicole was headed back to Salem with Holly. Unsure, John raised a questioning eyebrow. Brady said that Nicole had called him. John did not appear to believe Brady's story, but he patted his son's hand reassuringly. Marlena arrived with Tate, and Brady visibly brightened.

At the conclusion of the visit, Marlena noticed that Brady's heart monitor stats had improved with the visit from Tate. Marlena scooped up Tate, and she left to talk to the doctors. Brady quietly said he wanted to get better for Tate. Coughing, Brady admitted he was tired and did not think he would improve. John encouraged Brady to fight, but Brady was pessimistic about his prognosis.

At the Athena Caf in Greece, Eli and Hope exchanged notes about Deimos and Xander. Eli said that no one had admitted to seeing Xander or Nicole in town. The conversation turned to Gabi, and Eli admitted that he and Gabi had broken up. When Hope asked if the breakup was because of Chad, Eli said he did not want to discuss Gabi. Hope asked about Eli's impressions of the Horton family, and Eli said he was enjoying being part of a big family. Hope confided that Julie was aggressive but acted out of love. With a rueful smirk, Eli noted that Julie would be thrilled to learn that he had broken things off with Gabi.

Sonny and Paul stood on the rooftop across from Deimos' hotel room and watched him. Sonny excitedly said he was looking forward to taking over Titan. Worried, Paul reminded Sonny to "check his motives." Sonny promised he would not end up like Deimos. Sonny said he would not change. Paul reluctantly nodded, but he looked unsure.

On the Titan jet in Greece, Lani and J.J. grilled Deimos' henchman Guy. Lani offered a deal to Guy, and he buckled under the pressure. Guy admitted that he had attempted to steal a cursed amulet for Deimos but had failed. Guy said he had been surprised that Deimos hadn't been angrier. When J.J. asked why, Guy explained that Deimos had been preoccupied with securing a woman and her baby. J.J. and Lani exchanged a look.

Guy said that he had secured a helicopter for Deimos to take to Thaskada Island villa, a place owned by a violent man. J.J. showed Guy a picture of Xander, and Guy confirmed that Xander was the owner of the island. Guy explained that Xander worked for Deimos. Lani called Eli and asked him to return to the Titan jet. J.J. called Sonny and updated him. J.J. and Lani donned their tactical gear, and J.J. gently adjusted Lani's bulletproof vest. Smiling, Lani kissed J.J.

On the rooftop by Deimos' hotel room, Sonny told Paul what he had learned from J.J. Sonny asked Paul to continue to watch Deimos while Sonny joined J.J. on the jet. Paul urged Sonny to be careful. Across the way, Deimos talked to a thug about a plan, and he sent the thug on his way. As Paul watched Deimos through his binoculars, John called his phone. Holding back his emotions, John told Paul that Brady was fading fast. Paul promised to fly home as soon as possible, but John noted that Brady would not last that long. John asked Paul to catch the man that had shot Brady.

As Paul turned his attention back to Deimos' room, Deimos' thug sneaked up behind Paul and knocked him unconscious. With the surveillance taken out, Deimos boarded a helicopter and headed out to "rescue" Nicole from Xander. On the Titan jet, a worried Sonny was unable to reach Paul by phone. Panicked, Sonny rushed back to the rooftop and found Paul as he stirred awake. Paul looked across the way and realized that Deimos has slipped away. Sonny called J.J. and told him that Deimos had escaped.

Back in Salem, Brady held John's hand and said, "It'll be okay, Dad." John asked Brady about the rumor that Brady had fallen in love again. Weakly smiling, Brady said he had fallen in love with Nicole. Brady joked that he had worked hard to convince her that she felt the same way. His smile fading, Brady admitted that the happiest he'd ever been had been when he'd been a family with Nicole and the kids in Canada. Brady cried and said he did not think he would ever feel that way again.

John talked about a childhood memory of when Brady had played baseball. Brady said he was glad that John had encouraged him not to give up playing. Smiling, Brady said he had not quit. "You hang in there, Dad. You hang in there," Brady whispered before he fell unconscious. The monitor alarms started blaring. John called out for help. The doctors managed to restart Brady's heart, but he had lapsed into unconsciousness. Marlena consoled John.

In their bedroom at the villa on Thaskada Island, Nicole and Eric discussed Deimos' motive for kidnapping her. Eric theorized aloud that Deimos wanted to act as Nicole's hero. Frowning, Nicole noted that although she despised Eric, Deimos was much worse. Nicole said that Deimos had likely freed Xander so that he would have him in his debt. With a groan, Nicole worried aloud that Deimos hoped to make her fall in love with him again. When Eric asked Nicole what she intended to do when Deimos arrived to save her, Nicole shrugged and said she would leave with Deimos. Sighing, Nicole lamented that she might never see Brady again.

Eric asked Nicole how she could have fallen for Deimos. Nicole explained that Daniel had made her want to be a better person, but that version of her had died with Daniel. Eric asked Nicole if Deimos had told her that he loved her just as she was. Nicole shrugged sheepishly. Nicole said the better version of her had been reborn with Holly because she knew that a part of Daniel was alive in Holly. Nicole confided her fear that she would lose herself if she lost Holly.

Eric swore that he would not let Nicole lose herself. Smirking, Nicole said that Eric's promise was meaningless. Eric said he had vowed to Brady that he would get Nicole and Holly to safety. Eric asked Nicole to run if she got the opportunity and not wait for him. A man entered with a stick covered in spikes. Nicole informed Eric that the man was taking one of them to the cage. As the man escorted Eric out the bedroom door, Nicole leaped on the man's back. After a struggle, the man threw Nicole onto the bed and left with Eric. Smiling, Nicole opened her hand to reveal a set of keys.

In the living room, Xander talked on the phone with Deimos. Deimos said that Eric was a liability and that he wanted to take care of him personally. Down the hallway, the man locked Eric in the cage. While sitting in the cage, Eric thought about the multiple times that Nicole had confronted him after Daniel's death. Xander entered the room. Xander asked why Eric worried about Nicole when she clearly hated him.

Turning the tables, Eric asked Xander how it felt to be the most worthless man in his family. Narrowing his eyes, Xander told Eric that he did not care about the ramblings of a drunk murderer. Xander raised his gun and pointed it at Eric's head. Eric urged Xander to kill him because he had made peace with God. As Xander steadied his arm, Eric's eyes went wide at the sight of Nicole entering the room behind Xander. Xander joked that Eric would not fool him into turning around. Nicole slammed a vase down on Xander's head, knocking him out. Nicole pulled out the ring of keys and freed Eric.

When Deimos arrived at the villa, he found it dark. Confused by the darkness, Deimos called out to Xander. Deimos walked into the room with the cage and called out to Xander again. Nicole flipped on the lights. Eric pointed Xander's gun at Deimos. "We've been expecting you," Nicole said with a smile.

Deimos' plan falls apart

Wednesday, May 24, 2017

by Mike

Marlena found Victor sitting outside Brady's hospital room and sadly informed him that Brady wasn't expected to make it through the night. Victor immediately began to dial the number for the Mayo Clinic, grumbling that Brady obviously needed different doctors. Marlena gently stressed that no doctor in the world would be able to save Brady's life, adding, "I'm afraid all we can do now is pray."

Later, Victor and Maggie went to see Brady. Sighing heavily, Victor told Maggie, "[I keep thinking about how much Brady] reminds me of his mother. If there's a heaven, she's there...with Daniel and Bo." Maggie wasn't sure if Victor found that thought comforting or not, but she admitted that it certainly comforted her. "Too much loss for this old soul. I really don't know if I can survive [another one]," Victor replied.

Maggie offered to spend the night with Victor at the hospital, but he insisted that wasn't necessary, guessing that Brady would want her to be with Tate instead so the boy wouldn't be left in the care of a nanny all night. After kissing Brady's forehead and telling him that she loved him, Maggie left the room, and Victor followed her out. Later, in the chapel, Victor felt Daniel's presence assuring him that everything was going to be okay.

Meanwhile, Marlena stepped into Brady's room and found John at his bedside, urging him to keep fighting to stay alive. Marlena waited until John was done then informed him that the doctors needed the room so they could run some more tests. After John followed Marlena out to the nurses' station, Brady opened his eyes and found Daniel standing at his bedside. "Am I dreaming, or, uh -- or am I where you are?" Brady asked.

"No, no -- I came to you. They let us do that every once in a while," Daniel answered. Brady assumed that Daniel had arrived to take him to "the other side," but Daniel said that was up to Brady to decide. "I only had one heart to give you, and that was supposed to be for life, but the warranty doesn't cover getting shot, so you have some heavy, heavy lifting to do, [and] you need to show your immune system who's boss [and] stop it from rejecting my heart," Daniel continued. Brady wondered how he was supposed to do that. Shrugging, Daniel pointed out, "I was a doctor, not a mystic."

Daniel continued, "Look, all I know is, you need to be there for your son and Nicole and my daughter. They need you." Admitting that he was in love with Nicole and wanted to marry her, Brady wondered if Daniel was cool with that. Daniel confirmed that he was, insisting that he didn't want Nicole to be alone for the rest of her life, and he didn't want Holly to grow up without a father, either.

Daniel assured Brady that if it really was his time to go, he would soon learn that death actually wasn't all that bad. Daniel had a feeling, though, that people had started counting Brady out prematurely. "So what if you need a miracle to stay alive? 'Cause I will promise you, miracles -- they are real. And I know my heart is strong enough to keep going, and I believe you are, too," Daniel added before fading away.

Chad and Gabi were at an outdoor caf in Athens, chatting over cups of coffee, when they received word that the DiMera jet was operational again. Gabi thought it was odd that neither the pilot nor the technician had been able to determine the cause of the jet's problems, but Chad refused to take that -- or any of the other bad things that had happened since he had acquired the amulet -- as proof that the curse was real.

Chad invited Gabi to travel back to Salem with him and Hope on the DiMera jet. Gabi happily accepted the offer, relieved that she wouldn't have to share a flight with a guy who had just dumped her. Chad wondered if Gabi's relationship with Eli had been serious. Shrugging, Gabi admitted that it had seemed like things were heading in the right direction -- until Eli had learned that Abigail had filed for divorce. "I guess he thought that once you were free, I'd go running back to you, and there was just no way I could prove him wrong," Gabi continued.

Gabi stressed that she wasn't desperate to be in a relationship at that time, anyway, since she had other things to focus on, like her daughter and her business. Nodding, Chad revealed that he had a similar plan in store for his immediate future. They decided to be friends again, acknowledging that there was no longer a reason for them to avoid each other.

Sonny soon arrived and quickly filled Chad and Gabi in on everything that had happened that night. "If everything's going according to plan, Eli, J.J., Lani, [and] Hope are [already headed] to Xander's island, with some Greek cops for backup," Sonny reported. Despite the good news, Chad wasn't ready to celebrate just yet, knowing that Deimos had a talent for worming his way out of sticky situations.

Deimos feigned ignorance when Nicole accused him of working with Xander, but she didn't buy the act. While Deimos and Nicole were arguing, warning shots were fired through the villa's windows. Nicole and Deimos quickly ducked behind a couch, but Eric stayed in sight with his gun drawn and consequently took a bullet in his upper left arm.

As Deimos was trying to forcibly drag Nicole off with him, J.J., Eli, Lani, Hope, and a local police officer stormed into the villa with guns drawn. Relieved, Nicole quickly informed Hope that Eric was in need of medical attention. Hope concluded, after checking Eric's injury and seeing that he hadn't suffered much blood loss, that he was going to be fine.

Meanwhile, J.J. cuffed Deimos, who feigned ignorance again when Lani revealed that Guy had turned on him. Nicole was disappointed to learn that one of the warning shots had destroyed Xander's cell phone, leaving her unable to show everyone the text message that proved that Xander hadn't acted alone. Xander soon regained consciousness and claimed, when questioned, that he hadn't been working with Deimos or anyone else.

J.J. contacted Sonny and gave him a quick update. Meanwhile, Nicole stepped aside with Eric and quietly reminded him that she couldn't leave with Hope and the others. Nodding, Eric casually asked Hope if it was okay for him to take Nicole to see Holly. Hope told the local police officer to go with Eric and Nicole. The man soon returned and reported that Eric and Nicole had disappeared while he had been dealing with one of the villa's guards.

J.J. and Lani rushed off in search of Eric and Nicole while Eli dragged Xander off to the local police station. Deimos insisted that Hope couldn't take him back to Salem because he was a Greek citizen, but she reminded him that Greece had an extradition treaty with the United States. Sonny, Chad, and Gabi soon arrived, eager to see for themselves that Deimos was finally in handcuffs. Deimos maintained that he was innocent and would never spend a day behind bars. Hope assured Chad that there was plenty of evidence against Deimos, and she also mentioned that she would be taking a commercial flight back to Salem because Deimos was in her custody.

Sonny asked for a minute alone with Deimos. After everyone else cleared out of the villa, Sonny bragged that he had finally managed to take down Deimos, who had lost Nicole and everything else, as well. "I wouldn't gloat too much if I were you. This whole thing's gonna get cleared up, and then I'm gonna deal with you and your friends," Deimos vowed. Sonny skeptically countered, "Don't hold your breath waiting for any of that to happen."

Later, Chad, Gabi, and Sonny watched as Hope escorted Deimos out of the villa. Chad and Sonny celebrated with a high-five. "Think it'll stick?" Chad asked. "It has to," Sonny replied.

Eric and Nicole made their way back to their waiting jet with the help of a secret escape route Deimos had mentioned while trying to explain how he had managed to get past Xander's guards. Nicole thanked Eric for helping her but warned that he had probably made Hope really angry in the process. Eric wasn't particularly worried, guessing that Hope had bigger problems at the moment, like dealing with Deimos and Xander.

While Nicole was trying to decide on a final destination to give to the pilot, the jet's phone began ringing. After a brief conversation with the pilot, a puzzled Eric informed Nicole that Marlena had somehow managed to track them down. The pilot soon patched Marlena through to Eric, who was saddened to learn that Brady wasn't expected to live much longer.

When Eric shared the bad news with Nicole, she decided that she had to go back to Salem, despite the likely consequences, because Brady had never once abandoned her, and she needed to repay the favor.

Tripp plots to avenge Ava's death

Thursday, May 25, 2017

by Mike

After a talk with Alyssa's father, Kayla summoned Joey to the hospital and informed him that Alyssa's account of their date had included an interesting conversation she'd had afterward with Jade. Joey was surprised that Jade had badmouthed him to Alyssa; he admitted, however, that he wasn't particularly upset because Alyssa wasn't really his type, anyway. "That's not the point," Kayla insisted.

Joey conceded that Jade was clearly out of control. Suspecting that Joey hadn't been firm enough with Jade in the past because of concerns about what she could reveal if pushed too far, Kayla advised that he nevertheless needed to find a way to make his ex-girlfriend understand that their relationship was over for good. Nodding, Joey assured Kayla that he would handle the matter.

While passing through Horton Town Square with Jade, Tripp shared the highlights of the recent stakeout Steve had allowed him to attend. Admitting that hanging out with his father that night had actually been quite fun, Tripp added, "He's really not such a bad guy -- well, except for covering up how my mom was murdered." Jade suggested that Steve might not have had a choice in that particular matter, given how bossy Kayla was with everyone -- including her husband and son, who both seemed afraid to stand up to her.

Tripp wanted to stand up to Kayla and force her to admit what she had done to his mother, but he suspected that if he tried, she would find a way to convince everyone that he was wrong about what had happened. "Behind-the-scenes manipulation isn't really my thing, but...you gotta do what you gotta do, [so] when I shadow her at the hospital, I'm gonna try to figure out a way to frame her for something illegal, and then -- bam!" he explained, adding that although she was clearly a very smart woman, he was simply going to have to be even smarter.

Jade loved the idea of Kayla working alongside Tripp and forming a bond with him while being completely unaware of his true intentions. "Soon, Jade. It'll all happen soon," Tripp promised, flashing a wicked grin.

A short time later, Joey spotted Jade while passing through the town square and decided to seize the opportunity to admonish her for badmouthing him to Alyssa. After dismissively insisting that she had simply told Alyssa the truth, Jade began complaining about how Kayla had ratted her out. Joey was quick to defend his mother, pointing out that she had done many nice things for Jade. "Yeah -- and then she ripped it all away," Jade bitterly countered. Shaking his head in disbelief, Joey admitted that he should have listened to his mother's warnings about Jade, adding, "[But] I didn't want to accept that you're this total nightmare [who lives to cause] trouble."

Tripp didn't like the way that Joey was talking to Jade, but he reluctantly agreed to step aside when Jade assured him that she would be fine alone with Joey. Once the coast was clear, Joey told Jade that she needed to let him go. Jade insisted that she couldn't just flip a switch and instantly shut off her feelings for Joey. "I still love you, and when you love someone, you don't want to see them get hurt," Jade continued.

Confused, Joey wondered what Jade was talking about. Pointing out that Joey valued his privacy and didn't appreciate having details of his personal life exposed on social media, Jade explained that she had only badmouthed him to Alyssa because she had caught Alyssa tweeting about him after their date. "Check her Twitter feed if you don't believe me," Jade added. Joey insisted that regardless of whether Jade's story was true or not, the bottom line was that she needed to mind her own business and stop interfering in his life. Hurt, Jade stormed off after admitting that she wished Joey would stop treating her like an enemy.

Tripp soon rejoined Joey and wondered how his conversation with Jade had gone. Joey was hopeful that Jade had finally gotten the message, but he admitted that his delivery had been a bit harsh. "Guess all the Johnson men have pretty short fuses, huh?" Tripp mused. Although Tripp was willing to acknowledge that Jade had some problems, he found it easy to understand why she acted the way she did, given everything her family had put her through over the years. Tripp guessed that it was probably harder for Joey to be patient with Jade because he didn't know what it was like to grow up in an unloving and unsupportive environment.

Jade was in a secluded section of the town square, fantasizing that Tripp would be able to help her get back together with Joey once Kayla was out of the picture, when Joey approached and offered her an apology, having realized during his talk with Tripp that she deserved a bit of slack. "It's okay to tell you how I feel, but [I shouldn't] be a jerk about it," Joey conceded. Jade accepted Joey's apology and assured him that he was forgiven for everything. Satisfied, Joey walked away, leaving Jade eager to find out what Tripp had said to prompt his brother's sudden change of heart.

Tripp reasoned that it didn't matter what he had said; the only thing that mattered was that Joey had apologized. "Big whoop. It's not like he got down on one knee or anything," Jade grumbled dismissively. "Give it time. I think he's getting there," Tripp assured Jade. Tripp added that if things went according to plan, Kayla wouldn't be around to set Joey up on blind dates much longer.

Although Kayla was having a romantic evening with Steve at the Salem Inn, she took the time to send Tripp a text message to let him know that he could start shadowing her as soon as he was ready. Tripp was pleased when he received the text message. "Destroying [Kayla] for killing my mom is going to be a lot easier than I ever thought," Tripp told Jade, flashing another wicked grin.

J.J., Lani, Sonny, Chad, and Gabi searched the villa for more evidence to use against Deimos but weren't able to find anything worth confiscating. They did, however, find some expensive bottles of Champagne, which they happily seized for an impromptu celebration. Eli soon joined them, having failed to locate Nicole and Eric.

Sonny eventually stepped outside to contact Victor, who sadly informed him that Brady wasn't doing well. Sonny filled Victor in on what had happened in Athens that night then seized the opportunity to lobby for a job as the new leader of Titan. Victor agreed to back Sonny's bid to take Deimos' place as the company's CEO. "You won't regret it," Sonny promised.

Later, Sonny joined Paul at an outdoor caf and happily reported that he was about to be named Titan's newest CEO. Paul admitted that he wasn't sure how he felt about Sonny's lust for power. "My 'lust for power'? Paul, this is -- this is ambition! This is my drive to succeed, to prove myself to everyone. I mean, why do you have to make it sound so sinister?" Sonny asked incredulously.

Paul clarified, "Sonny, I don't think that it's sinister, and I'm not surprised that this is what you want. It's just...I'm not entirely comfortable seeing how much you want it." Sonny insisted that he couldn't show his family a single hint of weakness -- and because of that fact, his first order of business as CEO of Titan would be to fire every person Deimos had hired. Shocked, Paul protested that some of those employees really needed the job, but Sonny unapologetically maintained that everyone was expendable -- and easily replaceable, given how the marketplace was at that time. "[That's] leadership, Paul, and it's time my family sees what that is," Sonny added.

Meanwhile, back at the villa, J.J. tried to talk Gabi into taking the Kiriakis jet back to Salem, but she insisted that she would rather join Chad on the DiMera jet. After Chad and Gabi left, Lani wondered why J.J. was still trying to keep Gabi away from Chad despite the fact that Abigail had filed for divorce. J.J. once again assured Lani that he wasn't jealous, adding that he was simply worried about both Gabi and Abigail. J.J. continued that his desire to take things slowly with Lani didn't mean that he wasn't totally into her; it simply meant that he wanted to treat her the way she deserved to be treated. Lani seemed unconvinced but claimed that she understood.

Later, Gabi boarded the Kiriakis jet and wondered if there was still room for her. Eli didn't seem happy to see Gabi, but J.J. smiled as he assured her that she was still welcome on the flight. Lani took note of J.J.'s reaction but said nothing. Gabi was surprised when Chad followed her onto the jet and wondered if there was room for him, too.

Gabi quietly reminded Chad that she had decided not to take his jet back to Salem because the thought of being alone with him for such a long flight had made her a bit uncomfortable. Chad dismissively insisted that no longer mattered, since plenty of other people were with them on the Kiriakis jet. Chad added that the DiMera jet was once again inoperable.

Blaming the amulet, Gabi feared that something would happen to the Kiriakis jet next. It got off the ground without a problem, but once it was in the air, it started losing fuel. Paul told everyone to stay calm, assuring them that Sonny was an excellent pilot and could get them back on the ground safely. Sonny soon got on the intercom and announced, "I found a place to land, [but] it's coming up quick, [and] it's not perfect, so we'll bounce hard when we land. But I can do this!" Everyone braced for impact as the jet quickly descended toward the ground.

The Titan jet crashes

Friday, May 26, 2017

by Spalding

At the loft, Theo and Claire returned from the movie theatre and found Ciara packing her stuff. Ciara explained that she was leaving Salem to spend the summer in Hong Kong with Shawn and Belle. Theo asked Ciara if she was leaving because of him. Ciara breathlessly said that Theo knew why she could not be around him. Wyatt knocked on the door. Claire told Wyatt to get lost, but Ciara asked to talk to Wyatt alone. Reluctantly, Claire and Theo left the loft.

Wyatt argued that Theo had pushed him to lie. With a groan, Ciara countered that Wyatt had taken advantage of the situation. Wyatt pleaded with Ciara to believe that he liked her, but she said she did not want to give him a second chance. "You're a liar and a user, and I never want to see you again!" Ciara yelled.

Ciara opened the front door and asked Wyatt to never contact her again. Wyatt pleaded with Ciara not to cut him out of her life, but she was adamant. Wyatt shuffled out of the loft, and Ciara slammed the door behind him.

In the town square, Theo sullenly pushed the ice cream in his bowl around. Claire asked Theo why Ciara had said that Theo knew why she could not be around him. Theo was reluctant to say, but Claire said she did not want any more secrets between them. With a sigh, Theo said that Ciara had told him that she was in love with him. Claire feigned surprise. When Claire asked why Ciara had said that, Theo said he did not know why. Theo stressed that he was in love with Claire and did not care if Ciara wanted him.

With a sigh, Claire said she wanted to say goodbye to Ciara before she left town. Theo mumbled that he would stay away, since Ciara had told him that it hurt her to be around him. Theo asked Claire to say goodbye for him. When Claire returned to the loft, Ciara confirmed that Wyatt was gone for good, and she was still leaving for Hong Kong. Smiling, Claire said she would leave Ciara's side of the room exactly the same. Claire hoped aloud that Ciara would return home soon.

Claire said she knew that Ciara had been having a difficult time seeing her with Theo, and she hoped that she and Ciara could be close again soon. Ciara nodded in agreement. With a big hug, the girls said they loved one another. Once Ciara was gone, Claire texted Theo and told him not to let Ciara leave without saying goodbye.

At the police station, Rafe started to ask Abigail about his brother, but they were interrupted when Hope led a handcuffed Deimos into the precinct. While Rafe and Hope talked in the interrogation room, Abigail confronted Deimos. Abigail told Deimos that he would get what he deserved. While Officer Swickey watched Deimos, Hope told Rafe about the evidence she had collected against Deimos. Hope explained that the Greek authorities would have Guy's statement available shortly.

While Hope attempted to call Sonny, Rafe called the Greek authorities. Rafe confirmed that Xander had not turned on Deimos yet. Hope was confident that Xander would drop his loyalty. Hope escorted Deimos into the interrogation room to question his involvement in Nicole's kidnapping. Deimos said that Guy had a grudge against him. When Hope asked how Deimos had found Nicole, Deimos reminded Hope that he had many resources. Deimos recounted how his protection had helped Hope in prison.

"I will never forgive you for what you took from me. This is payback, Deimos," Hope said. Hope left, and Rafe took her place in interrogation. Deimos said he wanted his lawyer. Rafe warned Deimos that they had more than enough evidence against him. Leaning forward, Rafe said he looked forward to seeing Deimos pay for what he had done to the people of Salem.

Rafe joined Hope in the bullpen. When Rafe noted that Deimos appeared confident, Hope growled that justice would be served. Abigail asked Rafe if Deimos was going to jail. Smiling, Rafe said he was going to check on Deimos' cell. As Rafe walked away, Hope told Abigail that she had followed Chad to Greece. Abigail said she knew that Gabi had been in Greece too. With a nod, Hope confirmed Gabi had been there with Sonny but that Chad had been in Greece alone on business.

"Oh," Abigail said with shock. Hope said Chad had been upset when he had learned about the divorce. Abigail said she firmly believed that divorce was the right option. Abigail added that although Gabi had not gone to Greece with Chad, they were likely together at that moment.

After picking up Hope at the police station, Ciara walked with her to the pub. Ciara told Hope that Wyatt had not been who she'd thought he was, and she needed to get away. Hope was disappointed to see her daughter leave for the summer, but she was relieved that Ciara would be spending time with her brother. With a hug, Hope complimented Ciara on her strength and courage. Ciara said she got her strength from Hope.

While Hope went to pull the car around, Ciara waited for their takeout order. Theo approached Ciara and apologized. Theo promised he would never lie to Ciara again. Ciara said she felt the same way, which was why she could not pretend they were just friends. "This isn't goodbye forever," Ciara said as she hugged Theo.

At the police station, an angry Rafe yelled at someone on the phone. Abigail asked what was wrong. Rafe explained that Guy had died before he had signed a statement. Groaning, Rafe lamented that they had no evidence to hold Deimos. When Rafe turned to look through the window into the interrogation room, Deimos smiled broadly at him.

After their plane crashed on an island, J.J., Lani, Gabi, Eli, Chad, Paul, and Sonny congregated in a clearing and counted themselves lucky to have survived. The group checked their phones for cell service, but there was nothing available. Sonny said he was not sure where they'd crashed because he had veered off course, looking for a spot to land. Sonny added that he had not been able to contact anyone on the plane's radio.

Upbeat, Chad said he believed they would be rescued soon. Gabi glared at Chad. Sonny retrieved a survival kit from the plane that included food and water for a few days. Lani and J.J. left to gather wood for a fire while Sonny and Paul discussed rationing the materials. Chuckling, Paul asked Sonny if he was enjoying the adventure, since he often liked to camp in the wild. Raising an eyebrow, Sonny asked if that meant Paul was not going to hike with him through Peru in the fall.

Grunting, Gabi chimed in that they might still be stranded on the island in the fall. Chad quietly asked Gabi not to freak out. Angry, Gabi asked Chad not to tell her what to do. Chad went after Gabi when she stormed off. When Chad caught up to Gabi, he told her that it would be better to remain calm. Gabi was furious. Chad laughed and said that Gabi was adorable when she was angry. Narrowing her eyes, Gabi told Chad he was condescending and that his continued possession of the amulet was endangering the group.

Gabi returned to the group in the clearing. Eli watched Gabi then stood up to approach her. Chad returned and cut in front of Eli. Chad invited Gabi to go with him to explore the island at daybreak. With a shrug, Gabi joked that she did not want to fall off a cliff or get eaten by a snake. Chad joked about snakes, further annoying Gabi. Gabi argued that Chad had a pattern of bad luck since he had acquired the amulet. Chad disagreed, but Gabi swore that their predicament would not improve until Chad got rid of the amulet.

Across the clearing, Sonny lamented that he was not there to see Deimos' face when he was locked in a cell. Sonny hoped aloud that Hope would take pictures for him. Eli asked Sonny if there was a satellite phone on the plane. Paul volunteered to return to the plane and look.

Out in the wilderness, Lani freaked out over the shrieking of an animal. J.J. remarked that Lani was fearless with criminals. Cowering behind J.J., Lani explained that she was a city girl. After collecting firewood, J.J. and Lani returned to the clearing. J.J. playfully lifted Lani in a bear hug, and Gabi watched them. Sonny paced impatiently. Paul called out as he jogged back to the clearing with the satellite phone. Paul confirmed that the satellite phone was damaged.

Eli took the phone and set to work to see if he could repair it. Paul took Sonny aside to chat. Smiling, Sonny said he had worried while Paul had been gone. When Paul asked why Sonny was worried about a short walk after they had survived a plane crash, Sonny said he felt guilty for his terrible landing. Paul assured Sonny that he had done well. Laughing, Paul joked about the irony that Sonny had inherited Titan and was stuck in the one place where his money and power were useless.

"Power? Since when?" Chad asked as he approached the duo. Sonny smiled and told Chad about his conversation with Victor. With a grin, Chad said they would be "full-on rivals." "I can handle it. Can you?" Sonny asked playfully.

The men returned to the fire, and Chad offered Gabi a protein bar. Gabi said the only thing that would improve her mood was if Chad got rid of the amulet. J.J. asked Gabi what she was talking about. Chad attempted to quiet Gabi, but she blurted out to everyone that Chad had a cursed amulet. Gabi also announced that the amulet was worth twenty million dollars.

"End of discussion," Chad said quietly before stalking off into the night. The remaining group members sat around the fire and talked about the things they wished they were doing back home. When Sonny laughed about Deimos' arrest, the group toasted to the demise of Deimos. Across the clearing, Gabi approached Eli as he worked on the phone. When Gabi asked Eli if he could fix the phone, Chad returned.

"Some things can't be fixed," Eli said as he eyeballed his rival. Eli shoved the phone into Chad's hands and returned to the fire. Chad told Gabi that he had decided to toss the amulet into the ocean. Shocked, Gabi asked Chad if he was kidding. Chad shook his head. Chad dared Gabi to pat him down. Citing her trust in him, Gabi declined. With a smile, Gabi said she hoped that meant they would be rescued.

While the group huddled around the fire, Chad sneaked away from the clearing to retrieve the amulet from a hiding spot under a rock. Chad shoved the amulet back into his pocket. Back at the fire, Sonny handed out blankets. When Chad returned, there were only two blankets left for Gabi, Chad, and Eli. Eli said he did not want to share a blanket. After taking one of the last two from Gabi, he walked away. Gabi offered Chad the blanket, and he declined. Gabi insisted they share. As Chad and Gabi cuddled up on the ground, Eli looked over at them. Chad held Gabi's hand.